Tightened security in French Quarter keep huge crowds safe during New Year's weekend

Tightened security in French Quarter keep huge crowds safe during New Year's weekend

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Updated: 9:53 AM CST Jan 2, 2017

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WEBVTT HECKNATALIE: FROM THE ALLSTATE SUGARBOWL TO NEW YEAR'S EVECELEBRATIONS, FANS AND TOURISTSLIKE JAMES BELCHER AND JANISCHANG ARE FLOCKING TO THECRESCENT CITY HOPING TO RING INTHE NEW YEAR ALONGSIDE THOUSANDSIN THE FRENCH QUARTER.>> WE'RE HAVING A LOT OF FUN.>> WE CERTAINLY ARE.NATALIE: BUT WITH THE CITYJAM-PACKED WITH PEOPLE, LOCALAND STATE POLICE ARE JOININGFORCES TO MAKE SURE THEIRDEPARTMENTS ARE ALSO WELLSTAFFED, TO KEEP EVERYONE SAFE.>> YOU HAVE 100% STAFFING, NOTONLY IN THE QUARTER, WITH ANADDITIONAL 200 OFFICERS THEREFROM NOPD, BUT ALL ACROSS THECITY.SO EVERY NEIGHBORHOOD IS SAFE,HIGH VISIBILITY, RAPID RESPONSEFOR ANYTHING THAT COULD HAPPEN,BUT TO OBVIOUSLY PREVENT THOBAD THINGS FROM HAPPENING TO THEPEOPLE WHO LIVE HERE AND NOW TOTHE PEOPLE THAT ARE VISITING.>> WE WANT TO BE SUCCESSFUL.WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT THEPEOPLE THAT COME TO THIS CITYFEEL SAFE.WE WANT THEM TO COME BACK.WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT THISYEAR, ALL EYES OF THE WORLD AREON US TONIGHT.WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RESAFE, EXTRA CAREFUL. NATALIE: NEW ADDITIONS TOSECURITY MEASURES THIS YEARINCLUDE EIGHT BLOCKS OF BOURBONSTREET BLOCKED OFF TO CARS ANDKEPT FOR PEDESTRIANS ONLY.OFFICERS IN TACTICAL GEAR WILLALSO BE DEPLOYED ON BOURBON,DECATUR AND OTHER SIDE STREETSIN THE QUARTER.SOME SAY THE INCREASED POLICEPRESENCE MADE THEM NERVOUS ATFIRST.>> I THOUGHT I SAW SOME WITHRIFLES.THAT WAS A LITTLE BIT SCARY.NATALIE: BUT OVERALL, THEY SAYTHE TIGHTENED SECURITY MAKESTHEM FEEL AT EASE.>> I DO NOT FEEL NERVOUS BY THEINCREASED POLICE PRESENCE HERE.>> I FEEL SAFER.AND THEY'RE EXTREMELY FRIENDLYAND APPROACHABLE AND YOU CANTALK TO THEM AND THEY'RE VERYCALM.AND THEY DON'T SEEM TO OVERREACTTO ANYTHING.SO I FEEL A LOT SAFER WITH THEMHERE.NATALIE: TEMPORARY SECURITYCAMERAS, LIGHT TOWERS AND LAWENFORCEMENT SKY TOWERS WILL ALSOBE USED TO KEEP AN EYE OUT ONTHE MASSIVE CROWDS ROAMINGTHROUGH DOWNTOWN.AND AS THE CLOCK INCHES TOWARDSMIDNIGHT, NOPD SUPERINTENDENTMICHAEL HARRISON HAS ONEMESSAGE.>> DO NOT BRING FIREARMS TO THEFRENCH QUARTER.DO NOT FIRE FIREARMS IN THE AITHOSE BULLETS GO UP AND COMEDOWN WITH THE SAME VELOCITY THEYSO PEOPLE CAN GET HURT ANDKILLED, AND ALSO IT'S AGAINSTTHE LAW.WE'RE GOING TO TAKE CERTAIN ANDSWIFT ACTION AGAINST ANYONESHOOTING WEAPONS IN THE AIR, ANDANYONE WE CATCH BRINGING AFIREARM TO THE FRENCH QUARTER.NATALIE: NOPD AND STATE POLICESAY THE TIGHTENED SECURITYMEASURES THIS WEEKEND ARE A TESTFOR UPCOMING MAJOR EVENTS COMING

Tightened security in French Quarter keep huge crowds safe during New Year's weekend